Table Of Contents

Q & A

CISCO IOS SOFTWARE RELEASE 12.2(18)SXD

CISCO IOS SOFTWARE RELEASE 12.2S

Q. What is Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2S?

A. Cisco IOS® Software Release 12.2S is designed for Enterprise campus and Service Provider edge networks that require world-class IP and Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) services. The Cisco Catalyst® Switches and high-end routers in Release 12.2S provide secure, converged network services in the most demanding Enterprise and Service Provider environments, from the wiring closet and data center to the WAN edge.

Release 12.2S incorporates a series of Cisco IOS Software releases that integrate the proven, mature code base of Major Release 12.2 with critical software features and hardware support from Releases 12.1E and 12.0S.

High-end hardware support in the Release 12.2S family initially includes the Cisco 7200, 7300, 7400, 7500, and 7600 Series Routers, and the Cisco Catalyst® 2970, 3560, 3750, 4500, and 6500 Series Switches. Support is also planned for the Cisco 10000 Series Internet Router.

Q. Which releases of Release 12.2S are currently available?

A. You can currently download Releases 12.2(22)S, 12.2(20)S, 12.2(18)S, and 12.2(14)S from Software Center:

CISCO IOS SOFTWARE RELEASE 12.2SX

A. Derived from Release 12.2(14)S, Release 12.2SX provides Release 12.2S functionality and new features and hardware support for the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switch and Cisco 7600 Series Router.

Q. What features and hardware support are delivered in Release 12.2SX?

A. All new features and hardware support for the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switch and Cisco 7600 Series Router are delivered in Release 12.2SX.

Cisco IOS Software Release 12.1E is in maintenance mode and will not receive new features or hardware support; therefore, Release 12.2SX is the migration path for Release 12.1E customers who run the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switch and Cisco 7600 Series Router.

RELEASE 12.2(18)SXD

Q. What is Release 12.2(18)SXD?

A. Release 12.2(18)SXD extends the benefits of Cisco IOS High Availability to Enterprise campus, data center, and WAN aggregation networks, and Service Provider edge aggregation networks that run the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switch and Cisco 7600 Series Router. These enhancements provide nonstop application availability for Enterprise business-critical services, including supply-chain management, secure transactions, IP communications, and e-business. They also provide the network resiliency that Service Providers need to extend revenue through robust Service Level Agreements. This increased availability and resiliency reduces the total cost of ownership for Enterprise and Service Provider networks while also improving their overall productivity and efficiency.

Q. What new features and hardware support are delivered in Release 12.2(18)SXD?

Gateway Load Balancing Protocol (GLBP) uses network bandwidth more effectively by load-sharing packets over all available paths while protecting the first hop router. Previously, if there was a failure in the primary router or path, first hop redundancy features could only forward packets over the backup WAN paths. GLBP makes it possible for any router in a group to serve as a backup, and simplifies configuration.

MPLS Traffic Engineering Fast Reroute1 provides carrier-class traffic protection and restoration, similar to SONET/SDH. Service Providers can now reroute MPLS label switched paths around any link or node failure with full traffic recovery rates as fast as 50 milliseconds.

Control Plane Policing1 protects the control and management planes of a networking device against malicious Denial of Service attacks, allowing businesses to maintain productivity without interruption. It does so by employing user-defined Quality of Service policies that limit the number of packets destined for both planes.

A. Caveats describe unexpected behavior (ie: software defects) in Cisco IOS Software releases. The Release 12.2S and Release 12.2SX release notes include a list of resolved caveats from the most recent maintenance release, as well as a list of open caveats and any applicable workarounds.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Q. Where can I find detailed descriptions of the features and hardware support in each release of the Release 12.2S family?